The Center City District plans to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Dilworth Plaza (now Dilworth Park) adjacent to Philadelphia’s iconic City Hall in a matter of weeks. CCD successfully transformed this previously uninviting (but centrally located) hunk of concrete into an exciting park and destination event space. When it opens in September, the park will boast a café, large green space for relaxing, movie screening, an ice-skating rink in the winter (my kids CANNOT wait!), and free wi-fi. Dilworth Park should transform the City Hall environment into a destination and may fuel similar renovations at nearby JFK Plaza (aka Love Park).

The onslaught on Philadelphia’s local golf courses by developers takes a reprieve as Toll Brothers Inc.announces that its deal to acquire a 52-acre portion of Philmont Country Club in Lower Moreland, Montgomery County died. Sources claim that Toll Brothers originally agreed to purchase 9 holes of the Club’s south course for $12 Million. Neither party disclosed why the sale failed but Toll Brothers still plans to develop other former local golf courses including Horsham Valley Golf Club in Montgomery County and another club in Greenville, Delaware.